Swiss Cheese Mountain: A Tale of 2 Climbs in Grottes de Naye
Most tourists take the comfortable vintage cogwheel train straight from Montreux Station all the way to the summit. But if you want a real adventure, jump off early at the Jaman stop, with the via ferrata guys, hike up to the base of the limestone cliffs, and look for a dark, unassuming tear in the rock face…
This isn't a casual cave walk with ambient lighting and paved handrails like Beatus or Hollgrotto (see my other articles). What lies underneath is a massive, multi-kilometer underworld carved out over thousands of years by a trapped fossil glacier (more like Holloch).
While the core of the subterranean glacier melted away over a century ago, the mountain still breathes a cold 4°C (39°F) chill, functioning as a vertical natural siphon that shifts dramatically between mid-summer and early autumn.
Route Summary
Difficulty: T3 Mountain Hike, a dark, steep, technical, slippery cave scramble.
Distance: min. 5 Kilometers round trip.
Time: 2-3 hours total, 45-60 minutes are spent inside the cave itself.
Elevation Gain: ~300m from Col de Jaman, 100m scaled vertically underground.
Best Season: June to October - snow & ice block the inner caverns during winter and spring.
Essential Gear: Headlamp or torch (mandatory), sturdy hiking boots with deep tread, warm layers and gloves you don't mind getting covered in muddy limestone clay.
To truly understand how much this mountain changes, you have to look at it through the lens of two completely different journeys.
1. July 2019: The July Snow Trap (my Downclimb)
Tackling the cave in reverse by downclimbing from the upper exit near the Grande Chaux de Naye introduces a psychological game. Instead of pulling your weight up, you are actively sliding down into a damp, limestone hole. The descent is a physical grind. You are constantly going down slick metal ladders bolted into the black rock and relying on freezing iron chains to lower yourself down near-vertical mud walls.
Gravity is your enemy on the clay-slick steps, and the golden rule for ascending - consistently keeping to your left - flips into a disorienting mirror image on the way down. The real sting of a mid-summer climb, however, waits at the end. The lower mouth of the cave acts as a natural catchment for the mountain's winter snowpack.
Arriving at the final, tight horizontal pinch point - the 20m boyau crawl - revealed a large, stubborn plug of packed winter snow and ice partly blocking the exit. Getting out required sliding through freezing limestone mud while carving makeshift footholds into hard snow just to squeeze back out into the sunshine.
2. Sept. 2021: a Clean Ascent & those Unprepared
Fast forward two years to early autumn, and the mountain presented an entirely different face. Approaching the lower entry from a circular path to the ladders above, the winter snow was completely gone, leaving the limestone dry, exposed, and ready.
This trip highlighted the ongoing engineering battle to keep this rugged route accessible. Historically, the external bypass path - the Sentier des Échelles (Ladder Trail) - relied on steep, rustic wooden ladders built directly against the cliff face. But after years of harsh alpine winters and rockfalls, those old steps were finally replaced.
The new infrastructure encountered in Sept. 2021 featured robust, modern metal staircases engineered to bypass the most unstable rock features outside the lower cave mouth. These additions make the approach feel deceptively modern - but they do nothing to tame the raw, dark reality waiting inside the mountain.
The entry portals immediately strip away any illusion of safety. Attached to the heavy metal entry doors are stark, warning signs alerting hikers to the dangers ahead. Inside the damp limestone entrance, further signs warn you not to stray from the main path under any circumstances!
Because the cogwheel train from Montreux makes access almost effortless, the route frequently lures in completely unsuspecting day-trippers who ignore the warning indications. Halfway up the pitch-black vertical chambers, you often run into under-equipped tourists.
Finding a couple stranded in the pitch black - navigating with nothing but weak smartphone flashlights, wearing poor quality footwear, and scared by the steep, dirty, vertical scramble - is a stark reminder of why this cave demands respect.
For me it required stepping into the role of an impromptu mountain guide: sharing a high-lumen headlamp, offering physical coaching up the slick slopes, and guiding them area by area until they can safely see daylight again.
Deep Underground: a Secret Labyrinth & Permafrost Breakdown
For speleologists, the hiker's route is just a tiny transit tube. The wider Glacier Cave Network is a 4.8 Km matrix of vertical shafts (avens) and deep sinkholes that drop straight into the mountain's core. The hydro-dynamics of this network are amazing and increasingly volatile.
The cave relies heavily on ancient internal permafrost acting as a natural structural "glue." As climate warming degrades this subterranean ice, it triggers some geological complications:
Loss of Shear Strength: Frozen water acts as natural cement holding limestone cracks together. When it thaws, that rock loses its stability and internal friction, leading to creeping joints and structural sagging.
Hydro-Fracturing: Thawing opens internal pathways for melting snow and rain. Water fills the cracks and acts like a hydraulic wedge, forcing rock apart and dramatically increasing rockfall risks.
Infrastructure & Route Impacts: Underground cave ceilings, walls, and surface anchor bolts (like those securing safety ladders and via ferrata wires) shift or shear off as the underlying bedrock destabilizes.
NB: Because of these escalating risks, today the interior cave remains closed for ongoing geological stabilization projects.
Backpack Trap & the Left-Hand Directive
When navigating the main climber's path, you have to be prepared for the physical layout. The boyau crawl right at the lower mouth is a tight, claustrophobic choke point. If you are carrying a standard daypack (30L or more), you cannot easily slide through with it on your back. You are forced to remove it, tie it to a lanyard, or aggressively push and drag it ahead of you as you slide through the wet limestone clay.
Once you clear the crawl, the darkness opens up into branching chambers. Without any trail markers in the black void, the universal survival rule for the ascent is: hug the left wall and always keep left. Deviating to the right can quickly funnel you down exposed drops or dead-end fissures that descend into the deep, unmapped speleological network!
Blinding Light & Giant Horizons: the Summit Experience
Whether you are escaping a subterranean ice trap or hiking up via the exterior mountain paths, emerging onto the high alpine pastures is a big sensory shock. You leave the shadows and step directly into a soaring panoramic playground at 2,042m. The ridge lines offer legendary vantage points:
Mont Blanc (4,810m): Anchoring the southern horizon like a massive white wall.
Bernese Oberland Giants: The sharp, snow-covered crests of the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau piercing the eastern clouds.
French Dents du Midi: The jagged, multi-crested ridge framing the backdrop behind the Rhone Valley.
Tour d’Aï & Tour de Mayen: Two iconic twin limestone towers standing guard over nearby Leysin.
Historical Note: In the 1800s, local miners convinced there was gold hidden in the cave networks sneaked in with torches, leaving behind rickety wooden ladders that early explorers stumbled across in later on. No gold was ever found, but archeological treasure was left behind.
Exploring the Summit: Alpine Gardens, Marmots & Views
Once you reach the peak, the rugged alpine vibe transitions into a world-class mountaintop sanctuary. As well as the views, the summit plateau offers unique ways to spend an afternoon:
1. La Rambertia Alpine Botanical Garden
Perched precariously at 2,025 meters, La Rambertia is a living high-altitude sanctuary accessible via a narrow trail hugging the cliffside. Founded in 1896, this historic garden contains over 1,000 species of delicate alpine plants sourced from mountain ranges around the globe - from the Himalayas to the Andes.
Strolling through its protected, winding pathways feels like discovering a secret garden in the sky. Keep an eye out for the legendary, woolly Edelweiss, vibrant blue gentians, and rare mountain saxifrage.
Best Time to Visit: June through Sept., when the flowers are in peak bloom.
Pro Tip: Entrance is free, but the narrow path features steep drops - wear sturdy footwear and take your time.
2. Marmot Paradise (Parc aux Marmottes)
Located near the prominent radio communications tower and central photo spot, Marmot Paradise offers a rare look at six different species of alpine marmots from Europe, Asia, and North America. Watch these iconic, chubby rodents sunbathe on exposed boulders, chase each other across grassy slopes, or dive into underground burrows. The site also features an educational center detailing how these creatures hibernate for up to eight months a year:
Highlights: Catch them early in the morning or late afternoon when they are most active before the midday heat.
3. Panoramic Alpine Viewpoint & Café Area
Step out onto the observation terrace adjacent to the summit restaurant for one of the most breathtaking views in Switzerland. Standing at 2,042m, you get an uninterrupted 360-degree panorama:
To the West: The vast, crescent expanse of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) shimmering far below, with Montreux sitting along the shore.
To the South & East: Snow-capped Giants of the Vaudois and Valais Alps, including the Dents du Midi, Mont Blanc on clear days, and the jagged ridge of the Bernese Alps.
Grab an espresso or a traditional Swiss fondue from the café, snag an outdoor table, and soak in the cloud-level scenery.
4. Thrills on the Via Ferrata
For experienced climbers seeking an adrenaline rush, Rochers de Naye features two famous Via Ferrata routes starting near Col de Jaman.
Experience: Clinging to the sheer vertical limestone rockface, these routes offer exposure with technical iron rungs, wire bridges & a cave entrance.
Difficulty: Rated up to K5 E (extremely difficult), requiring specialized VF harness kit, helmet, gloves, physical condition and solid technique.
Exit: Non-climbers up at the summit terrace can actually spot climbers topping out along the high ridge. (Check out my detailed Via Ferrata Guide linked in my other articles for a description…)
5. Overnight in Authentic Mongolian Yurts
For a truly unique Alpine stay, book a night in the traditional Mongolian Yurts stationed near the summit. Furnished with authentic wooden beds, thick insulation, and warm bedding, these circular tents accommodate up to eight guests:
Why It’s Special: Once the last cogwheel train leaves for Montreux, the summit empties completely. You get to witness sunset over Lake Geneva in quiet solitude, stargaze without light pollution, and wake up to a crisp sunrise over the peaks. Worth its weight in gold I would assume…
6. Ridge Hiking & Descents to Montreux
Rochers de Naye is a paradise for hikers, offering everything from short ridge walks to leg-burning downhill treks:
Sautodoz Ridge Walk: A popular ridge trail providing panoramic views on both sides as you walk along the spine of the mountain.
Descent to Montreux (or Glion): A challenging downhill hike dropping over 1,600 vertical meters through alpine meadows, pine forests, and dramatic gorges like the Gorges du Chauderon.
Hiker's Shortcut: If a 5-hour steep downhill sounds too hard on the knees, hike down to intermediate cogwheel stations like Jaman or Haut-de-Caux and catch the train the rest of the way down.
The Culinary Finish
When it is time to refuel, you have two distinct options:
Panoramic Feast: Hit the Restaurant Alpin, built into the summit station. Sit by the massive glass windows overlooking the entire length of Lake Geneva.
A Local Secret: Skip the summit train, hike the loop path down to the Col de Jaman, and pull up a wooden chair at the rustic Buvette de Jaman. It’s a family-run alpine hut where locals go for Rösti Tomme Vaudoise, coffee, etc.
From there, you just hop back on the hourly cogwheel train at the Jaman stop and coast all the way back down to Montreux, enjoying the views but covered in dirt and very tired.
This route was hiked by the Author in July 2019 & Sept. 2021. Contact me by email for photos or to ask questions.
No comments:
Post a Comment